


Lurking Beneath the Surface

by caerynlae



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: outsider pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 04:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17135219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caerynlae/pseuds/caerynlae
Summary: Alex has spent countless times watching the playboy antics of Oliver Queen and Tommy Merlyn back when they all went to school together. Now, years later, Alex meets them again in Oliver Queen’s club. Are they still the same shallow, careless billionaires? Why does it feel like there is more to Queen than meets the eye? And what role does the beautiful blonde play, who by the way seems way too smart for such a club?





	Lurking Beneath the Surface

I’m standing in the VIP lounge of Oliver Queen’s club with a group of friends. Although, to be honest, they are more the friends of my cousin Marc, who persuaded me to tag along. We’ve all known each other forever, having gone to the same private school.

The same school incidentally as Oliver Queen and Tommy Merlyn, although most of us never rated high enough on the cool-scale to actually interact with the popular billionaires.

Billionaires who have always been able to afford whatever they want. This included only surrounding themselves with either the richest or the best looking people, male and female alike.

They were always the center of attention. And over the years, I’ve had plenty of time to observe them. They were exactly what you’d expect from trust fund brats. Arrogant, a devil-may-care attitude and shallow.

I personally had no interest in finding out what Queen and Merlyn consider a good night club. But Marc can be very persuasive, so here I am.

And what a sight it is. The decoration is actually quite tasteful and elegant. But the behaviour of the guests is most certainly not. Next to loud giggling girls and daring guys, there are several couples shamelessly making out on various pieces of furniture.

I look over to the far wall to the rowdiest crowd. Some guys are doing body shots off of two leggy models.

Yep, that’s exactly what I expected in a club owned by Queen.

I sigh, this is going to be a long night. I should’ve stayed in and caught up on my Netflix instead.

Marc and our friends are happily drinking and chatting away, but I can’t bring myself to pay attention to what they are saying. That is until Tyler, the unofficial leader of the group, loudly exclaims, “Look, that’s Merlyn over there!”

And true enough, I look back over to the rowdy crowd doing body-shots and there he is.

Tommy Merlyn. Expensive, no-doubt tailor-made suit hugging his unfairly good looking body. With a blinding smile and an easy going attitude, he is happily chatting away with the group, while of course paying special attention to the two women.

The others have lost interest for now, but I continue to watch as Merlyn makes his way across the room. Effortlessly charming the people as he moves along. Yes, he has gotten older, but apart from that, nothing seems to have changed. Still the same arrogant billionaire that I remember.

Finally, he reaches our group. He greets everyone cordially. It doesn’t surprise me that he only remembers Tyler by name, but at least he does recognise the rest of us as former classmates. Tyler was the only one who occasionally hang out with Merlyn and Queen in school.

He easily inserts himself into the conversation of our group. I stare at him jealously. I’ve been around these people for so many years and I still don’t know how to talk to them without feeling awkward. And Merlyn comes and feels at ease and is joking and laughing with them all within seconds. It doesn’t feel fair.

Suddenly the room seems to go quiet. Even Tommy stops talking mid-sentence and turns towards the entrance of the lounge. The owner himself has appeared and everyone wants to see him. Everyone always wants Queen’s attention.

His miraculous return after being stranded on an island for five years has only made him more infamous and sought after. Especially because he is rumored to only rarely make an appearance at his club. Probably too busy with some woman or other in a back room.

He moves to the first group and easily starts talking to them, making rounds just as Tommy had been doing. Slowly the other conversations resume.

But I can’t seem to tear my eyes away. Unlike Tommy, he has certainly changed. I nearly didn’t recognise him.

Gone is the lanky, easy-going teen with long blonde hair. In his place stands a man with broad shoulders, holding himself carefully poised. He still has an easy smile plastered on his face and he seems to talk easily with everyone around him.

But I can’t help but feel that there is an undercurrent of something else. I can’t put my finger on it, but I feel like there is more to him than meets the eye.

I swallow when I see him roll up the sleeves of his crisp white shirt. I can see his bicep stretching the fabric. The guy is clearly ripped. Together with the scruff, which is really working for him by the way, he looks so much more attractive than he already did in school. It’s been a while since I’ve felt any attraction towards a guy, I typically prefer girls. But this new version of Oliver Queen definitely works for me.

My palms suddenly feel sweaty when I see that he is heading over to our group. He greets Tommy first and then turns to Tyler, no surprise there. Seconds later, everyone is happily chattering away, animated and determined to show off because they feel honoured that both Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen are with our group.

I stand back a little and continue to observe quietly as I’m finishing off the beer I’m holding. I notice that Queen isn’t actually talking as much as I would’ve assumed. He seems to largely observe as the others talk.

Suddenly crystal clear blue eyes are staring into my own brown ones. My breath catches in my throat and I can’t help but feel that his eyes are the eyes of a predator.

A second later that look is gone. I must’ve imagined it, because surely there isn’t anything dangerous about the shallow playboy, five years on an island or not.

He is smiling at me now and walks closer to me. I swallow, what's his plan?

“Alex, you work at QC now, right?”

I don’t expect him to talk to me, never mind remember my name.

I steel myself, hoping that for once I can come across as normal in a conversation, instead of incredibly awkward. “I..yes, that’s right, I’m an engineer in Applied Sciences.”

He nods, looking unsurprised. “I saw your name the other day on a project report. But to be honest, I didn’t understand much of it.” He smiles a bit self-deprecatingly and I’m surprised at his candor.

I’m not sure what to reply to this, but before I can figure something out, a female voice drifts over from the other side of the room, “Oliver!”

We both turn around towards the source.

The woman is waving a tablet in one of her hands, and her outfit, while nice, couldn’t be more different compared to what other women are wearing in this club.

She is heading towards us, weaving in and out between the people in her way and I can clearly see the look of disgust that briefly crosses her face as she walks past a particularly adventurous couple.

I can’t hide my surprise. Who is this woman? She seems sensible and intelligent and so very unlike the type of women I’m used to seeing around Queen and Merlyn.

As soon as the woman is close enough, Queen puts an arm around her waist and pulls her closer to him. Queen pulling a beautiful women close to him is nothing new, but I can’t help but think that he seems oddly..protective. As if he wants to protect her from the rambunctious crowd in the room. In that moment, he seems so unlike the uncaring billionaire playboy that I remember and that the tabloids portray.

“Felicity, everything alright?” If I wasn’t sure before, I am now after seeing the soft look in Queen’s eyes. That woman means something to him. Could it be that someone finally tamed the infamous playboy?

“Yea, everything is fine, but there is a new report that you should read.” She hands the tablet over to Queen.

He takes it without further comment but then surprisingly turns back towards me. “Felicity, this is Alex Smith, the writer of the report you liked so much last week. Alex, this is Felicity Smoak, she also works at QC. You should talk to her about your idea, she will actually understand it, unlike me.”

“Seriously Oliver, I thought you finally understood the idea after I drew the diagrams on the whiteboard.” The woman is amazing, she is a full head shorter than Queen and so petite compared to his broad frame. But that doesn’t stop her from glaring up at him with narrowed eyes.

Queen huffs out a small sound of amusement and grins at her.

There is something different about that smile. This one seems genuine and not as superficial as all the other smiles he has given since entering this room. I only just met her, but I’m definitely already impressed by Felicity Smoak.

Not even the infamous Laurel Lance was able to make Queen appear like a genuine warm person, their relationship was always about pretence and the nice thought of a strong power couple.

Queen slightly heads off to the side to read whatever report is on the tablet.

Before I can contemplate any of my observations further, Felicity draws me into a conversation and for the first time in a long while, I don’t feel awkward talking to someone. 

She seems genuinely interested in my project idea and she keeps up effortlessly when I detail some of the more complicated aspects.

I look at her in awe, she is so beautiful and so smart. To be honest, I’m surprised someone like her willingly spends time with someone like Queen. Although I have to admit, with what I’ve seen tonight, I can’t help but think that he has changed since our school days after all, no matter what the tabloids say.

Suddenly, Tyler interrupts our conversation. “Oy, Alex, where did you find this beautiful creature and why haven’t you introduced us.”

Tyler grins at Felicity in what was probably supposed to be a flirtatious look, but it just makes my skin crawl. Felicity seems to agree with me, if her suddenly stiff posture next to me is any indication.

Still, I introduce them to each other as well as the remainder of our group. Merlyn seems to have left now and Queen is in a shadowy corner of the room, talking to someone on his phone.

“What do you say, Felicity, can I buy you a drink or maybe take you for a spin on the dance floor?” Despite the relatively tame words, Tyler’s grin is positively lewd now.

“Um, no, thank you. I’ve still got work to do.” Felicity nervously pushes up her glasses, although she firmly stands her ground.

“Oh, come on, a little fun never killed anyone.” Tyler is definitely invading her personal space now. I should intervene, but I’m not sure what I can do. I’d never stand a chance against Tyler.

Thankfully, me taking action isn’t necessary because suddenly Queen is back.

He closes the remaining gap with sure, confident strides. All muscles I can see, are clearly tensed up and there is a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Suddenly I see in full force what I thought I saw an inkling off earlier. The dangerous undercurrent that I suspected to lurk beneath the surface, has broken out into the open.

“The lady clearly declined.” Queen physically places himself between Tyler and Felicity.

I swallow and unconsciously take a step back. He is a sight to behold, but in no way do I want to be at the receiving end of that stare.

This is a predator, ready to defend who he considers his.

But Tyler is apparently more drunk or more stupid than I realised previously, because he sees none of the warning signs that are so clear to me.

“Come on, Queen, share your toys with the rest of us. You always have plenty.” Tyler laughs as if it’s all a great joke.

Before anyone else can so much as blink, Queen suddenly has Tyler by his throat and pushed up against the wall next to us.

Anger is rolling off of him in waves and it’s frankly terrifying.

He is staring at Tyler with cold eyes, devoid of any emotions and I feel a shiver of fear race down my back.

What happened to the easy-going party boy? How can five years on a deserted island turn someone into something so terrifying?

Queen is breathing harshly and I’m sure any second now he will slam Tyler into the wall repeatedly.

But before anything else can happen, Felicity is ready to surprise me yet again.

Without any hesitation, she steps right into Queen’s personal space, her hand confidently landing on the forearm that is not grabbing Tyler by the throat.

She is displaying a calm which I find nearly more terrifying than Queen’s anger. She doesn’t seem surprised or unsettled at all. What has she seen previously to take all of this in stride?

“Oliver, don’t, he is not worth it.”

As soon as she speaks, the fight seems to drain out of him.

With another look, this one full of unconcealed disgust, Queen lets go.

Tyler unceremoniously slides down the wall and just lays there.

With a small start, I realise that the entire room has gone quiet and is watching the scene. The only one moving is Merlyn, who seems to be heading back over to us.

With his typical arrogant playboy attitude, Merlyn quickly draws everyone’s attention on to himself and consequently away from Queen. A clever move. With a promise to send up a round of free drinks for everyone, everyone quickly loses interest in what had been happening. I did not expect Tommy Merlyn to manipulate a crowd like that.

But I’m not so easily distracted. I continue to watch Felicity and Queen unobtrusively.

Felicity rests a hand on Queen’s cheek and speaks to him quietly but intently. He seems to all but melt into her hand and a look so tender crosses his face that I suddenly feel like a voyeur. Respecting their privacy, I avert my eyes.

How can someone go from projecting so much anger to behaving like a giant cuddly cat within minutes?

Everyone seems to have moved past the situation and the noise level in the room reaches its previous height. Marc seems to have drawn Tyler into another conversation, although Tyler is still rubbing his throat absentmindedly.

On the other side of the room, I can see Merlyn watch Tyler carefully as if ready to intervene, again, at a moment’s notice.

This night was certainly more enlightening than I thought it would be and definitely more interesting than Netflix would've been.

I learnt that despite their outward attitudes, both Queen and Merlyn are more than meets the eye. The careless, arrogant playboy attitude is just a facade to deliver to the world what they expect to see.

But if one just looks closely enough, a few facts are crystal clear.

There is a deep, genuine friendship between Queen and Merlyn.

Queen has returned from his island a dangerous predator.

And Felicity is capable of taming this beast, uncovering a Oliver Queen more genuine and human than I’ve ever seen him during our school years.


End file.
